The House Republican chaos is also a test for American Journalism.

This is a Republican problem. The news coverage should say so.

America’s news organizations are about to be put to a new test. It is not a hard one. They should all pass. Yet, sadly, there are already signs that some may not.

Almost as soon as Kevin McCarthy became the first Speaker in American history to be forced to vacate the office, some in the GOP began an public relations offensive saying that it was actually Democrats who were at fault. Since the vote on Tuesday, Republicans (and some GOP pundits) have been claiming that Democrats put partisanship ahead of the country by refusing to intervene to save McCarthy.

The test for journalists is how they handle this latest GOP fantasy. Will they ignore all the evidence and take the claim seriously? Or will they make it clear that anyone making that this latest Republican talking point is simply deluded?

Kevin McCarthy in January during the 15-round Speaker’s election. Photo credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

The facts are clear. Last January, Democrats unanimously voted against the set of rules the GOP pushed through that allowed anyone to call for a vote to vacate the Speakership. Last week, when the GOP majority did not have the votes to keep the government operating, Democrats came to rescue despite McCarthy’s refusal to give them time to read the 71-page continuing resolution. (Dems would be forced to use a parliamentary tactic to buy time read the bill as McCarthy called for the vote.)

This past Sunday just one day after the government funding vote, McCarthy claimed that Democrats wanted to shut down the government and not pay our troops. Huh? Dems had just done exactly the opposite. It was the GOP that largely voted against the continuing resolution. (McCarthy’s behavior surprised no one. After all, President Biden had earlier negotiated a budget framework with Speaker McCarthy, but the Speaker then reneged.) Throughout his Speakership, Democrats worked with McCarthy when they could, but he mostly proved unreliable and dishonest.

Some GOP voices say things might get worse now that McCarthy has been overthrown. They argue that Democrats should have foreseen this and kept him in office.  But here’s the thing, if things do get worse, it is entirely on the House Majority. And it’s not clear how much worse it could get. The majority under McCarthy failed to pass budgets, even for the US military. They demand an end to support for Ukraine as it defends itself from a cruel and criminal Russian invasion. They failed to pass any meaningful legislation to address the border crisis, or any other crises we face. In fact, they have done none of the things required to govern. Instead, they have used their majority to impede criminal and civil investigations into Donald Trump, to launch a retaliatory impeachment inquiry into Joe Biden without predicate and without a House vote, and argue for the defunding of the FBI, the Justice Department, and other agencies.

Now America’s media faces this simple test. Will they give credence to yet another dishonest GOP talking point, or will they, for once, kill it in its cradle?  As we try to get past this terrible moment in American history, we need to agree that the double standard that holds Democrats to account as a governing party and allows the GOP to be the party of angry gesture has run its course.